Combined switch and lightning-arrester



3 SheetsSheet 1.

Patented May 5,1891.

ATTORNEYS.

{ Illllllli (No Model.)

B. W. RICE, Jr. COMBINED SWITCH AND LIGHTNING ARRESTER. No. 451,521.

WI TIVESSES: 2W 0 0M (No Model.) 3 sheets-sheet 2. E. W. RICE, Jr. COMBINED SWITCH AND LIGHTNING ARRESTER.

Patented May 5,1891.

WIT/ 58858:

' INVENTOR B Y I A TTOHNEYs.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

E. W. RICE, Jr. COMBINED SWITCH AND LIGHTNING ARRESTER.

No. 451,521. Patented May 5,1891.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR:

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' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWVIN IVILBUR RICE, J R, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE THOMSON-HOUSTON ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF CONNECTICUT.

COMBINED SWITCH AND LlGHTNlNG-ARRESTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 51,521, dated May 5, 1891.

Application filed March 5, 1890. Serial No. 342,763. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWIN WILBUR Bron, J r., a citizen of the United States, residing at Lynn, Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Combined Switch and Lightning-Arrester, of which the following is a specification.

My device is intended particularly for use on vehicles propelled by electricity, such as street-railway cars.

The object of my invention is to secure an absolute cut-oft arrangement which is adapted to be operated either manually or automaticallymanually as in the case of the cutting off of the current to the motor by the operation of the lever or handle, as usual, and automatically to disrupt the circuit when arcing to ground exists by which the working-current is shunted around the motors, such arcing having been established or incited by a static discharge or discharge of high potential capable of leaping an air-space, which air-space is insulating or impassable by the normal working potential used on the line. Such static discharge may be produced by induction during a thunder-storm, or the line may become the direct path of the lightning-discharge in its passage from the clouds to the earth, or vice versa.

The invention consists in a novel arrangement and relation of the various parts of the switch or circuit-breaker and electrodes of the lightning-arrester, whereby it is capable of acting with precision and certainty in its dual capacity of a switch and a protective device for high-potential discharges, such as induced discharges during thunder-storms.

The invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan of the same. Fig. 2 1s a side View. Fig. 3 shows its application to electric motors when used to propel vehicles along a railway. Fig. 4: is an end view of my device with one pole-piece of the blow-out magnet removed.

In Fig. 1, M is an electro-magnet, and P P its poles, which are extended to a considerable distance, as shown.

- Y is a magnetic yoke uniting the outer ends of the magnet.

Y is an auxiliary yoke. (Better seen in Fig. 2.) It is pivoted at its lower end at p, and when the magnet M is energized is attracted toward the yoke Y,if free to move, to assist it in completing the magnetic circuit through M, the yoke Y to this end being preferablymadeot smaller cross-section than it would be were it alone depended upon as a magnetic core.

The inner or opposed polar faces of the extensions P P are heavily covered with insu lating material, such as mica sheets, and in some cases this insulation may be carried all over the polar surfaces and the base for supporting the magnets M, where it is exposed to any arcs which may be formed.

Switch-contacts at K K are separated or closed by the operation of a lever II, suitably fulcrumed upon a pillar F, as shown. In the space included between the opposed polarfaces P are also two electrodes E E, Fig. 2, with a slight air-space existing between them. One of the electrodes E is connected to the metallic part of the lever 11, and the other electrode E is connected to earth by a proper connection. The lever H is held in its closed position by a detent D, engaging with a pawl N, said pawl being pivoted at (l and normally held against a stop 5 by a spring Z.

r is a rod pivotally attached to the auxiliary yoke Y at f. The spring Z acts to throw the lever H to its open position when the pawl N is disengaged from the detent D.

.2 is a spring adjustable in tension by the nut n to regulate the restraining tendency opposing the attraction of the auxiliary yoke Y toward the magnet M when the latter is energized.

h is an extension from the yoke Y by which the trip or detent atN may be operated manually. The tension of the spring Z is also adj ustable by a nut 0.

b b Z)", Fig.. 1, show binding-post connections, the binding-post I) being that leading to earth or ground and b 1) those leading to the two sides of the dynamo respectively.

The connection in circuit of this combined switch and lightning-arrester is shown in Fig. 3.

0 represents the overhead conductor in an electric-railway system, and R is the rail, the system being supposed to be one in which a single overhead line is used and the currents returned through the track. The current from 0 passes down the conductor m, which may be a traveling contact running on the line 0 in the well-known manner. Connection is made to the binding-post b of the switch. The path of the current is then as follows: Through the magnet M, lever H, contact-surfaces K K, conductor 1), reversingswitches S conductor g, through the armature of the motor G, conductorj, back to the reversing-switch S, through conductor t to the rheostat R, and to earth by the conductors a 7., representing the connections through the wheels to the track. The magnet M is constantly energized when current flows through the motor G. When the release-lever h, Fig. 2, is operated to interrupt the circuit, the are formed between the contact-surfaces K K of the switch is subjected to the influence of a strong magnetic field established by the magnet M and is instantly extinguished.

The action of the construction as a lightning-arrester is as follows: A high-potential discharge on the line 0 seeking earth, if it should be able to charge the motor G at high potential, might causeaburning out of the armature or field windings by setting up a short circuit for the normal or working current. It is therefore well to shunt the static discharge to earth before it reaches the motor G by a path of comparatively no self-induction. There is therefore provided two dischargepoints adjacent to each other and connected to the two terminals of magnet M, respectively. One of these is placed on the hinding-post 1), Figs. 1 and 3, and consists of an extension q, projecting to within a short distance of the base of the pillar F, which constitutes a discharge-point connected to the opposite terminal of the magnet. The discharge-point E is connected to ground and placed adjacent to the discharge-point E, situated at the same terminal of magnet M as the base of pillar F. A static discharge of high potential will jump this small space be tween extensions (1 and the base of F, so as to reach the lever H because of the self-inductive resistance of the magnets M, and it will then jump the small space separating the electrodes E E to reach the earthby the conductors M, Fig. 3. The working-current, however, now follows this path established by the static discharge and tends to preserve the are between the electrodes E E andq II. The winding on the magnets M, however, forms a shunt around the space between q and H and the current is diverted through them, destroying the are at thispoint, and the magnetic field now established between the poles P P blows out the are between the electrodes E E, all of these actions occurring almost instantaneously.

Another and one of the main features of the invention is its action as a protective device against abnormal currents flowing through the motor G, such currents as would heat the wire and by charring the insulation destroy its integrity. In this respect it is an automatic device for accomplishing the result sought, the parts resuming their normal position as soon as the current falls to its normal or predetermined iiow.

A11 excessive current traversing the coils of the magnets M establishes a strong magnetic field, so that the action of the spring .2" in holding the yoke Y from the yoke Y is overcome. The movement of the yoke Y operates the pawl N by the rod 0', and the circuit is interrupted by the spring Z opening thelever H. The yoke Y then resumes its former position and is in position to again operate when the switch is closed.

hat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combinatiomwith a manual circuitbreaking switch in an electric circuit, of a blow-out magnet having poles adjacent to the contact-point of the switch,and a supplementary lightnin g-arrestin g contact also adj acent to the said poles and connected to the ground.

2. The combination, with an electro-magnet, of a circuit-breaker having its movable contact actuated by said magnet and located at its contact making and breaking portion in the arc-disrupting field of said magnet.

3. The combinatiomwith an electro-magnet, of a movable circuit-breaking contact actuated thereby and included in the circuit through the coils of said magnet and having its circuit-breaking point located in the arcdisrupting field of said magnet.

4. The combination, with a switch in an electric circuit, of a controlling-magnet therefor adapted to respond to an abnormal current, the contact-points of the said switch being located adjacent to the poles of the said magnet, whereby the said magnet acts both to control the switch and to blow out any are that may be formed.

5. The combination, with an electric switch, of a controlling-magnet therefor having its poles adjacent to the contact-points of the switch, an actuating-spring for said switch, and a latch holding said switch in its closed position, with intermediate mechanism between the said latch and the magnet, whereby the magnet acts both to release the switch and to blow out the are formed on breaking the circuit.

0. The combination, with a switch, of an electro-magnet in circuit therewith and having its poles adjacent to the contact-points of the switch, a spring for operating the switch, a latch holding the switch closed, and a manual device for operating said latch.

'7. The combination, with an electric switch, of a magnet in circuit therewith having its poles adjacent to the contact-points of the said switch, a supplementary contact-point adjacent to the said poles and connected to ground, and a supplementary armature on the yoke end of said magnet controlling the said switch.

8. The combination, with a machine to be protected, of a magnet in circuit therewith, a circuit-breaking switch having its contactpoints adjacent to the poles of said magnet, a releasing device for the switch controlled by the said magnet, and a supplementary point adjacent to the poles of said magnet and provided with a ground connection.

9. The combination, with a machine to be protected, of a magnet in circuit therewith adapted to respond to abnormal currents, a switch in said circuit, having its contactpoints adjacent to the poles of said magnet, an actuating-spring for said switch, a latch holding the switch closed, and an inclosing case having an opening through which passes a manual controlling device for the said latch.

10. The combination, with an electro-magnet, of a circuit-breaker having its contactpoints adjacent to the poles of said magnet, an armature for the said magnet, placed at the yoke end, whereby the poles of the magnet may act to blow out an are without interference from the armature.

11. The combination, with a machine to be protected, of a magnet in series therewith, a discharge-point connected to the line at one terminal of said magnet and adjacent to a similar discharge-point connected to the line at the opposite terminal, and a ground-line having a discharge-point adjacent to a similar discharge-point connected to the line at said opposite terminal of the magnet.

EDWIN WILBUR RICE, J R. lVitnesses:

JOHN W. GIBBoNY, WINIFRED J. PLUMsTEAD. 

